Xenia, Ohio – Amanda Bass, (12) of Xenia, has been selected to serve as the emcee for an exclusive, one-night-only, performance of “The Brothers & Co. Variety Show,” at 8:00 PM on Saturday, July 1 at the historic Plaza Theatre in Miamisburg, Ohio. The show is free of charge for all ages and ticket reservations can be made online at myplazatheatre.org.

The Brothers & Co. Variety Show is a 90-minute, live stage performance featuring four-part harmonies, instrumentation, Wild West stunts, award-winning classic magic and original comedy routines. Tickets are free for all ages.

Bass recently finished work on several episodes of the ThinkTV / PBS program, “I Can Be Anything I Want to Be A to Z.” The show is set in a “career lab,” where Bass’s character, “Charley,” is one of three kids investigating various career options, from A to Z. The show is slated for a statewide run this fall. This will be the young actress’s first time hosting a stage performance, but she is no stranger to live entertainment.

In addition to her appearances in several student films and as a dancer in the Dayton Ballet’s annual presentation of, “The Nutcracker,” Bass also participates in her family show. Her parents, Kirk and Melodee, are Wild West arts performers known as, “Bass Blades,” a knife throwing act based in Xenia. The younger Bass has performed with her parents and alongside

The younger Bass has performed with her parents and alongside family friend, writer and entrepreneur, Gery L. Deer, who is the director, pianist, bullwhip artist, and executive producer of “The Brothers & Co. Variety Show.” Deer also pointed out that he decided to include young Amanda to host the July 1st show because of her performance on the PBS series.

The Brothers & Co. started in 1995 and are best known locally for covers of The Statler Brothers music. Their repertoire stretches across country and oldies genres including music by The Monkees, John Denver, and George Jones as well as many original pieces. Each performer is involved in creating original content for the show and the group’s fourth voice, Ed Jones, cousin of the Deer brothers, is their acoustic guitarist.

The show also marks the return of Gary Deer, Jr., vocalist and percussionist of the group, after almost two years of recovery from a serious illness. “Ours is a kind of show you don’t see anymore and it’s fun for anyone,” he said.

“We are offering this free show to both give people a look at the beautiful Plaza Theatre and give families a financial break for one night,” said Gery Deer about the July show. “All you need to buy is the popcorn!”

Of course, shows still run on money. Limited commercial sponsorships for the performance are still available ranging from $100 to $250 through June 30. The first five, $250 sponsors will receive a live, 30-second commercial during the show presented by one of The Brothers & Co. performers. A signed 18×14-inch poster of the show will be raffled as well with proceeds going to The Plaza Theatre Association. Doors open at 7:30 PM and refreshments will be on sale in the lobby. For show times and venue information please call The Plaza Theatre at (937) 247-5980.

Deer In HeadlinesBy Gery L. DeerI recently read a 2016 article in the New Yorker, in which journalist Karan Mahajan wrote about his personal experience as an immigrant trying to comprehend and learn to use American small talk. After a decade in the States, Mahajan, originally from Delhi, finally mastered the art of small talk and discussed its role in American society.

The complexity and difficulty of small talk aren’t lost in the fictional world as well. I recall an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, in which Lt. Commander Data, the android character on the science fiction show, was fascinated by the concept of small talk and spent a good part of the program trying to mimic the innate skills of another officer.

Although I grew up in the American heartland, I can completely relate to Mahajan and Data’s struggle to comprehend and apply this most useless but unmistakably necessary communication skill. But what is small talk and why do we do it?

According to UrbanDictionary.com, “small talk” is defined as, “Useless and unnecessary conversation attempted to fill the silence in an awkward situation. Usually is initiated by comments regarding the current weather, weather pattern of the past/future few days or major weather disturbances in the recent past.”

In day-to-day conversation, can be characterized in a casual exchange at a checkout counter when someone says, “how’s your day,” or waiting in a long queue for coffee, “they’re really busy today, huh?” I’ve also noticed that the person who initiates the attempted conversation is generally the one who feels most uncomfortable in the situation. Oddly, when I feel that way I tend to get quieter, not more talkative, probably a symptom of my lack of assimilation to this concept.

In his article, Mahajan suggests that American society is one where we all want to believe we like each other and that conversation should be easy among strangers. However, we only want to communicate to the line of privacy that should never be crossed leaving a sort of empty space where the meaningful conversation should be if we allowed it. Small talk is how we fill that void.

Politicians use small talk to placate voters on the campaign trail or at public events. Hairdressers and barbers are master small talkers, as often are restaurant servers, cashiers and others in the retail industry. Don’t misunderstand, that isn’t an insult by any means, quite the opposite.

Phone small talk is another thing at which I’ve never been very good. I really don’t like the phone at all. I don’t understand getting on the phone and talking and talking, largely about nothing. And I see people doing this all of the time. I just don’t get it. If I’m taking the time to call you, it’s important and needs some level of substantial discussion. Otherwise, text me. I can answer when I have the chance and it doesn’t interrupt my day.

I consider myself to have someone of an above average grasp of the English language and still this talent eludes me. It’s a valuable skill in many respects and sometimes people think it’s a “city” thing.

In my opinion, however, the “gift of gab,” as it is sometimes called, is far more common in rural communities than in more urban settings. You may have heard it said of someone that he or she, “never met a stranger.” What that means is that the individual in question has an easy time saying hello and striking up a conversation with pretty much anyone.

Many people in my family tend to be that way. When I was growing up I’d watch my dad go back and forth with a restaurant server or gas station attendant for what seemed to me as hours. I’d sit and wait while he discussed the traffic or the gas mileage of his farm truck or whatever. I never understood it.

I am just not the open communicator that one might need to be in those situations. I’m never rude, but I can be brusque. I just want to get in and get out. That said, there are people in or near my hometown that I know who work in various places and I’ll say hello or talk to them about something more meaningful. I enjoy those interactions, but I don’t want anyone to feel obligated to do so for my sake.

To me small talk is uniquely American and it has an important, albeit innocuous place in our society. I do wish, though, that when we could find more substantial common ground upon which to begin a dialogue with one another. Maybe someday.

Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business writer. More at deerinheadlines.com

Annual Family Fitness Challenge changes to “Family Fun Day & Touch-a-Truck” Greene County Public Health Partners with Michael’s House to Expand Event

XENIA, OH – This year, Greene County Public Health is proud to partner with Michael’s House in Fairborn to host Family Fun Day & Touch-a-Truck on Saturday, June 17th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Michael’s House located at 1016 Rainbow Ct. in Fairborn. The event is FREE and open to the public. Click to download the flier.

For thirteen years, the event planned by Greene County Public Health was called the Family Fitness Challenge and it introduced children and their families to proper nutrition and the importance of physical activity. By partnering with Michael’s House, it opens the door for additional activities for families, including a Touch-a-Truck event. Michael’s House is Greene County’s advocacy center for child victims of abuse and neglect. Its mission is to provide a multidisciplinary team response to child abuse to protect and support children and their non-offending family members, hold offenders accountable, and educate the community.

Greene County Public Health’s mission is to prevent disease, protect our environment, and promote healthy communities and wellness in Greene County. Injury prevention and the overall wellbeing, as well as the mental and physical health of our youngest residents in Greene County, is a huge part of that mission, which makes this partnership even sweeter.

The team of professionals at Michael’s House work together to ensure children are kept from further harm, provide an immediate comprehensive response to child abuse victims, and educate the community to better recognize, respond to, and prevent child abuse. Necessary medical, emotional, legal, investigative, and victim advocacy services exist in one child-friendly location, ensuring that children are not further victimized by the systems intended to protect them. This reimagined event is designed to motivate and challenge youth and families to engage in healthy lifestyles both physically and mentally.

Participants can visit fitness stations (including a fun bounce house) and interactive health information booths, fill up their “passport”, and receive a free prize (while supplies last). Child fingerprinting and ID services, healthy snacks, fun games, and prizes will round out the day. For more information, call contact jdrew@gcph.info or wilest@childrensdayton.org. The event is also on Facebook, just search for Family Fun Day & Touch a Truck 2017.